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The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Project - Synergistics Ms

Benson
Vocabulary Key:
Gyre An area of ocean that slowly rotates in an enormous circle, like a
vortex. http://www.gyrecleanup.org/what-is-the-gyre/
Vortex A column of rotation, such as air, wind, or water.
Ecosystem All of the living things (plants, animals and organisms)
in a given area, interacting with each other, and also with their nonliving environments (weather, earth, sun, soil, climate, and
atmosphere).
Ocean currents http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/0145ocean-currents.php
Great Pacific Garbage Patch An area of the North Pacific Ocean where currents have trapped
huge amounts of debris, mostly plastics.
http://education.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/
Biodegradable Capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms.
Bioaccumulation Accumulation of substances, such as
pesticides, or other chemicals in an organism.
Globally- Pertaining to the whole world; worldwide; universal:
the dream of global peace.
Mockumentary - A video or television show describing fictional events, but
presented as a documentary, with deliberate exaggeration for comic effect.
Tsunami - A series of ocean waves generated by sudden displacements in the sea floor, landslides,
or volcanic activity. http://www.tsunami.noaa.gov/
Water shed- an area or ridge of land that separates waters flowing
to different rivers, basins, or seas.
Nurdle- small pellet of plastic that serves as raw material in the
manufacture of plastic products.
BPA, PCB, DTT Toxins

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Community - A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in
common.
Environment - http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/02/150212-ocean-debris-plasticgarbage-patches-science/

Driving Questions - Please answer the following:

Do you think the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (and all other garbage gyres) can be completely and
efficiently removed from the ocean without harming the ecosystem?
Why do you think this?
Is it important for us to clean-up the five gyres?
Why or why not?
Your Task/Project:
Students will use what they learn about ocean currents, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and recycling
to create a proposal for how they can reduce waste both locally and globally.
Learning Objectives:
1. Students will understand how ocean currents work.
2. Students will understand how waste and pollution affects ecosystems.
3. Students will design and create an action plan for cleaning up the Garbage Patch or for preventing
any additional plastic debris from making its way to the Garbage Patch.
Essential Questions (Please answer these now. There is no right or wrong answer):
What is a citizens responsibility to their community and environment?
How does knowledge of the environment increase responsible choices of community members?

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1. The Majestic Plastic Bag

Click the link below and view the video The Majestic Plastic Bag - A Mockumentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLgh9h2ePYw
Answer these questions as you view the video:
What does the film maker mean by The Asphalt Jungle?
Whats in the heart of the Pacific Ocean?
Does the bag escape the Yorkie?

Was the bag a good swimmer?

Do you think the video comical or funny?

Why?

Do plastic bags really have feelings?

What are some things that were true in the video?
What are some things that were false in the video?

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2. So What, Ms Benson? Who Cares, Ms Benson? Discuss the questions below with your team
and type your answers beneath each question.
Why should we care about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?
How did the plastic get there?
What are the effects of the plastic on the environment?
Who is responsible for cleaning up our water resources?
What can WE do to prevent plastics from adding to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?
What can WE do to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?

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3. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

View the Video: Untamed Science Ecology Video: The Pacific Garbage Patch
The Untamed Science crew explores claims that theres a large floating body of trash in the Pacific
Ocean. In 2012, it was twice the size of Texas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=IgAGmkJaQXI&list=PL5BRja99NkXlF5CU0TILV1IKzidCTs2Uh&index=21
Answer the questions below:
Where is the garbage patch?
How much trash is there?
What are the problems?
What can we do?

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4. Albatross in the Pacific Ocean

View the video: Plastic swallowed by albatrosses in the Pacific ocean - Hawaii: Message in the Waves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yom6zlm5VqE
How did all of the plastic get on the beach in Hawaii?

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There are a number of ocean currents found around the Earth. A current is like
a vast river within the ocean, flowing from one place to another. These currents
are caused by differences in temperature, differences in salinity, and by wind.
Currents are responsible for a vast amount of movement of the water found in
the Earths oceans.
5. Ocean Currents
Untamed Science Earths Water
Video: Keeping Current in the
Ocean (Part 1 AND Part 2)
Go with the Untamed Science
team as they explore how ocean
waves form and move. Watch the
videos at the link below and
answer the questions.

http://www.sciencebook.dkonline.com/34.html

What percent of the planet is ocean?

Where did the bigger waves come from?
What other things can cause waves?
What causes a tidal wave?
Is a tidal wave the same as a tsunami? (sue-nah-me)
What causes a tsunami?

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6. What is a Water Shed?

Log into Ed Puzzle, using the link below, to learn about watersheds and answer questions..
https://edpuzzle.com/assignments/569212de42dbfb43418a4c0f/watch
(If you cannot log into Ed Puzzle, heres the same video on YouTube)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOrVotzBNto

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7. What is a Nurdle?
Use the link below to watch the Ed Puzzle video and answer the questions.
https://edpuzzle.com/assignments/5692168a42dbfb43418a4e37/watch
(If you cannot log in to Ed Puzzle - Heres the same video on Ted Ed answer the questions on Ted
Ed) http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-nurdles-quest-for-ocean-domination-kim-preshoff

8. Recycling - The Life Cycle of a Plastic Bottle

http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-really-happens-to-the-plastic-you-throw-away-emma-bryce
Watch the video above and answer the questions on the Ted Ed website.

9. The Sea of Plastic The Seas of Plastic Captain Charles Moore

The man who originally discovered the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, Captain Charles Moore, draws
attention to the growing problem of plastic debris in our seas.
Log into EdPuzzle with the link below and watch the video.
https://edpuzzle.com/assignments/56920f1542dbfb43418a493c/watch
If you cannot log in to Ed Puzzle, heres the same video with questions here:
http://ed.ted.com/lessons/captain-charles-moore-on-the-seas-of-plastic

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INSPIRE CHANGE: HOW THE OCEANS CAN CLEAN THEMSELVES10. Eighteen year old Boyan Slat has a great idea for how we can clean up the garbage patch!
Watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROW9F-c0kIQ&feature=youtu.be
THINK! Then answer the questions below:
Why do you think Boyans idea will or will not work?
Tell me WHY you think this to be true! Give reasons and be sure to support your opinion by
writing out your answers here

Brainstorm additional ideas that may help in the cleanup effort. List at least 3 ideas here:

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11. Visit Boyans Clean-up Project website http://www.theoceancleanup.com/problem.html

In your own words, tell me how the plastic pollution problem will continue to cause damage
to the following if we dont clean it up:
Environment Economy Health http://www.theoceancleanup.com/

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Driving Question Your opinion:

Has your opinion changed? Do you feel that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (and all other garbage
gyres) can be completely and efficiently removed from the ocean without harming the ecosystem? Tell
me WHY you feel this way.
Is it important for us to clean-up the five gyres?
Why or why not?

What is your team willing to commit to in order to continue raising awareness about cleaning up
the Great Garbage Patch?

Essential Questions (Remember these? Answer them again, now that you have completed all of
the assignments):
What is a citizens responsibility to their community and environment?
How does knowledge of the environment increase responsible choices of community members?

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Activity- Create a Garbage Patch Awareness Presentation

1. Using what youve learned about ocean currents, the Great Pacific Garbage
Patch, recycling, and ocean clean-up, create an Awareness Campaign for:
Cleaning up the Garbage Patch
OR
Preventing any additional plastic debris from making its way to the Garbage Patch

Persuade the world's people to stop littering!

2. Using Google Slides or PowerPoint, your campaign

must include the following:

Slide 1 Title of your campaign (project) and student names

State the problems with plastic pollution (or the Garbage Patch). State how it is damaging our:
Slide 2 - Environment - wild life, beaches, oceans, etc
Slide 3 - Economy -Will it be expensive to clean up? Will it be expensive to let it continue?
Slide 4 - Health - What will happen to our health if we dont clean up plastic pollution?
Slides 5 7 State you proposed solutions with examples (Use Information you learned here
about ocean currents and gyres, the Garbage Patch, recycling, etc, or do more research on the
internet)

Use pictures and video clips, from the internet on every slide

Slide 8 Resources Used Cite your sources here - include the website address (copy and paste
it) from a website when you use information, pictures, or video from it.

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Save your presentation on your Google Drive! We will convert them to movies and upload them
to our classroom YouTube when I return.

Did you know:

Only about 20 percent of ocean plastic comes from marine sources, such as discarded fishing
equipment or cargo ship mishaps. About 80 percent of it washes out to sea from beach litter or
was carried downstream in rivers, according to the CSIRO study, which is considered the most
comprehensive.
About half of that litter is plastic bottles. Most of the rest is packaging and plastic bags.
http://garbagepatch.net/solutions-what-can-you-do/
Additional Resources:
http://garbagepatch.net/solutions-what-can-you-do/
http://www.algalita.org/ - Algalita Marine Research
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/04/140414-ocean-garbage-patch-plastic-pacificdebris/
http://www.earthday.org/
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Google+ Community:
https://plus.google.com/communities/110997276949668671442

Extra, Extra Enhancement:

If you finish early watch the following video:
The surprising (and invisible) signatures of sea creatures A Bioengineers Job
https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-surprising-and-invisible-signatures-of-sea-creatures-kakani-katija

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http://www.worldcrunch.com/rss/tech-science/massive-swirl-of-ocean-debris-to-be-designated-new-state-byun/garbage-patch-state-unesco-pollution-un/c4s11327/#.UW2kHatARAh

http://tuckermarinescience.weebly.com/the-great-pacific-garbage-patch-project.html
http://olecommunity.com/cleaning-up-the-great-garbage-patch-authentic-learning-lesson-freebie/